The Butterfly Effect
by Jieni Reiko
Summary: Crossover: Inuyasha with Link & Princess Zelda: Twilight Princess.. eventually. pg 1. Miroku gives his own summary of events. Beginning at the ending basic themes of the anime series The Final Act. What the others have been doing since Kagome's been in her time for three years.


Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi is the author of the Inuyasha series. I'm just a fanfiction novice author having fun.

A/N: Before getting to the crossover aspect of this story I've chosen to start with the Inuyasha side first. Perhaps the pace of getting to the part about Link and Zelda will be slow.

This starts out in "first person", but that doesn't mean that the story will all be written in first person. Consider this beginning as the prologue.

Summary: Miroku talks about what it's been like since the defeat of Naraku, and in general how things have been going without Kagome being there.

Chapter title: Beginning at the Ending.

Story title: The Butterfly Effect

Page 1

Sengoku Jidai

Since Kagome had not returned with Inuyasha about three years ago, the hanyo had been keeping himself busy at the village, in between his daily trips to the well. On occasion I'd take my mixed family, that included Shippo and Rin, for a walk to have a picnic and enjoy the meadow.

Not far from there Inuyasha was positioned up in the branches of a tree while Shippo used his supply of crayons sparingly to make visual aids while telling the children some of the things that the team experienced. The young kitsune's point of view was refreshing and quite humorous.

Inuyasha otherwise occupied his time with tracking and wielding the Tetsaiga to vanquish all lesser yokai. Taking other hunters along as a team.

Sometimes I elected to join them but the nostalgia of the driving determination to defeat a specific nemesis was missing. The strangeness was like the phantom twinge I still felt in the palm of my once cursed hand. Many times I found myself absently rubbing at the area that had been a life long part of me as much as my hand was.

It occupied my thoughts till I consulted with Keade about it. While sitting in the hut, we conversed while sharing tea together.

I flexed my hand and told her, "Don't get me wrong, I am of course elated that the vortex is gone, but I also feel an odd sense of loss."

Keade replied. "It of course will take time to adjust to such a change. You must look for the matter to completely fade away in time."

In retrospect and comparison with what Kohaku must have to deal with daily, I felt like my situation was a minor issue. The realization made me embarrassed and angry that I even gave any thought to such twinges at all.

* * *

Inuyasha and the team had returned and separated to their own activities until next time they'd meet. The hanyo was circling the perimeter of the village when his nose caught a scent and hurried to the well. Looked in with expectant sparkling eyes, reached inside and pulled up Kagome.

They stood gazing into each others eyes. Then he pulled her close into an embrace. Paused, then -

Ahem! Cough : cough!.. We were all so happy to see her once again. A wonderful occasion to remember.

Clapping my hands together, I turned and walked over to look out the shoji and the live scenery of the copse of trees and bushes decorated with singing birds and buzzing insects. On the ground was a squirrel holding a treasure and examining it closely. Taking in the view, I deeply inhaled, chest expanding. The moment was so calming. So satisfying as could be apart from other satisfying activities, but getting back to this kind, it was like the other sandal had finally dropped.

Things were going to be back to normal now that Kagome had finally returned. Well, no not quite 'as normal', but certainly more normal than it's felt like since the well abruptly wasn't available. Since the death of Naraku it stopped being that terrible.. and wonderful life of 'normal'. Since Sango and I had gotten married it stopped being 'normal'. Since the children were born it stopped being 'normal'.

Now that Kagome's back I knew that it was going to begin a new chapter of wonderful 'normal'. And Inuyasha was no doubt realizing that at that very moment.

* * *

During the time that she'd been gone, I'd felt it my duty to think of ways to occupy the hanyo's thoughts.

As if his other activities weren't enough. But when I saw him one day looking particularly, and understandably like he was missing her, practically draped over the well. I'd decided then to double my efforts to think of something.

Inuyasha had somewhat reluctantly agreed to help me build a small hut.

Casually leaning against the trunk of a tree, his arms crossed over his chest, the hanyo stated emphatically. "Like hell I'm gonna build a hut for you."

"Help me to build it, Inuyasha." Miroku corrected.

Shifting his weight he put his hands on his hips and leaned into the monk's face, deliberately exposing his fangs. "Like that fricken makes any difference, the answer is still 'no'."

It took some time for me to get to the root of the problem. Inuyasha was concerned that other villagers might get the idea to get him to build huts for them too.

I had advised him, with timely wisdom, to just be his usual congenial self and that ought to put a damper on his concerns. Along with my idea to get Keade's full cooperation to advise all villagers to stay away, not wanting to have to medically treat any of them for being nosy.

So with Inuyasha's speed and brawn, and my keen sense of architectural talent, and thoughtful study of the building plans, the hut was finished within a week or two.

Inuyasha had quickly gone back to his regular routine, and I leisurely strolled through my sancto-sanctorum. Which was in my mind, second only to the shrine. A place to quietly meditate without distracting noises of the children and daily activities of the villagers.

Closing my eyes, my hands behind my back, head tilted upward, I thought. 'Even a married man needed to -'

"What.. needed to do what Miroku?" Sango's facial expression, tone and body language., plus that intimidating ninja aura, clearly expressed offense and irritation. "Do you think that you are the only one who should have a place to get away from the demands of our new lives.. Well?"

I cringe even now, my brain pounding with a headache at the unpleasant memory of that exploding bomb of a conversation. It was only when I quickly proposed an added room to the hut for private marital activities that Sango slowly began to acquiesce.

Over the next days I spent hours in selecting the materials suitable to tastefully decorate my portion of the hut with things that commemorated the three year quest and adventures in defeating Naraku.

All had been placed with such loving honor, and talent for the sublime aesthetic that only I was capable of truly achieving, as Sango informed me when I gave her the first grand tour.

She slowly looked over the various souvenirs, and memorabilia like, a collection of pebbles found along the roadside, and shells found on lake shores. There were interestingly shaped pieces of wood, seeds from trees nearby where we'd stayed while camping at night.

Fangs and claws of successful hunts, rabbits feet, and Shippo's contribution of fish bone leftovers of the meals we'd hunted and enjoyed eating in some level of amiable camaraderie. Even those that had gotten crushed during battle, along with the mangled remains of one of Kagome's highschool text books had been preserved for posterity. I've yet to be informed how her mother managed to smooth that over with the school officials.

There were also the collection of gifts of bowls and figurines, scarfs and belts that various people had given us in our travels in gratitude for the work of ridding the populace of menacing yokai. Last, but not least was the framed cloth covering that I'd for so long worn over my former cursed hand.

Sango was quite surprised to see such things put on display. She was almost so awed that she was close to speechless. "I had no idea you were so.. so sentimental Miroku." I could only look away to hide the embarrassment of such a compliment.

Along with those were some Sango approved valuables, like choice drawings from Shippo, along with photos of the mixed group of children we'd accumulated as well as those from our marital union that had been taken with the camera and the last of the film that Kagome had left behind when we all set out on our last quest trip.

The camera, along with all the other items had been stuffed into the back-pack in combined sundry contents, like a folded empty bag of ninja snacks that Shippo had managed to get a few of but was mostly devoured by Inuyasha.

Two bento boxes, along with the batch of rumpled and soiled clothing that Kagome had worn and hastily shoved into the bag after quickly changing into the fresh ones just before the team had hurried off to confront Naraku. All had been lovingly cleaned by Sango.

There were also three of the last ramen containers, with chopsticks that ..'guess who'.. had snarfed down and discarded so quickly, poor Shippo was only able to enjoy the vapors that lingered. Not that he was left starving., with a helping of fire-burnt fish given to him by one who shall remain nameless. Sango had picked up what was left of the ramen frenzy and added them to the collection of things that had come from the modern era.

As for the hygiene supplies, Sango placed the various empty bottles that made her smell so deliciously.. well, they were placed in Kagome's backpack too. There was also right on top, an extra one of her school uniforms, still neatly folded by her mother.

Sango had made the comment at dinner one evening in between the messy job of feeding the rambunctious children, that she'd noticed a long silver hair found in the bag when she put in the final emptied bottle.

So there was no doubt in our minds that Inuyasha had privately made his way to the hut when it was unoccupied, and quietly walked over to the weaved box that sat on the small bamboo table over in the corner of my study room. And poked his nose inside to take frequent fresh sniffs of the contents of the torn and bandaged backpack that particularly held Kagome's scent.

With that glaring evidence he left behind, I can just hear Ryujiro say that he'd have made a terrible thief.

* * *

When deciding where to build the hut, great consideration was taken to be sure that it was situated not far from the boundary of the village on the south west, not too far from the family hut. Which was not far from the lake, not too far from Keade's hut, and not too far from Inuyasha's forest. A strategic location.

Now, someone might argue that in a village of that size, anyone else's hut could be 'not far from' any other location. But my hut is strategic. After all, looking over to the north, not far from the hut, Sango was busy being domestic while the children were being entertained by Shippo's magic. The laughter that drifted over was not too loud to be distracting. And my ever-so-beautiful wife out hanging up the laundry on the line to dry gave me the delectable posterior view of her always enticing form from that angle. I stared in silent worship and sighed. Perfect.

A nearby bird suddenly squawked, intruding upon my meditation, I jumped a bit. Then remembered my plan, and walked over to the low set table positioned to face the shoji for a pleasant view at the outdoor scenery.

Sitting on the leather covered sponge comfort pillow from Kagome's time, I briefly wondered how long the sponginess will last. But quickly decided that whatever the case, I could just give the thing a decent burial.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts, brows furrowed with the concentration as I read over some notes I'd written down with pen and ink on precious paper that I'd gotten from 'his lordship', Seshomaru.

Getting that was an interesting occasion. Almost impossible if not for the greasing of the wheels that Taiyoshi had done. Being the brother in law of that aristocratic inu must be adventurous, to say the least. Although no one will ever hear Inuyasha describe it that way.

* * *

Edited: 8-22/24-13


End file.
